@@*\=^.... ....^=\*@@
#@@*\=^... ...^=\*@@#
##@@*\=^.. ..^=\*@@##
###@@*\=^. .^=\*@@###
##@@*\=^.. ..^=\*@@##
#@@*\=^... ................ ...^=\*@@#
@@*\=^.... THE ALVAR FIELDS ....^=\*@@
@*\=^..... @@@##########@@@ .....^=\*@
*\=^...... ......^=\*
\=^....... FROM NORTH TO SOUTH, THIRTY ODD .......^=\
=^........ KILOMETERS. FROM WEST TO EAST, FOUR ........^=
^......... THOUSAND METERS. FROM TOPSOIL TO STONE, .........^
=^........ A FOOT OR TWO. NO ROOTS CAN FESTER, NO ........^=
\=^....... DUST CAN LINGER. .......^=\
*\=^...... ......^=\*
@*\=^..... HERE IS EARTH, CLAY, AND STURDY LOW .....^=\*@
@@*\=^.... PLANTS. BUSHES FRAME THE STRIP. THE ....^=\*@@
#@@*\=^... EARTH IS BARE IN PATCHES AS LARGE AS ...^=\*@@#
##@@*\=^.. YOU AND ME. ..^=\*@@##
###@@*\=^. .^=\*@@###
##@@*\=^.. CROSS IT TO GET TO THE OCEAN, OR DON'T ..^=\*@@##
#@@*\=^... TO STAY WHERE YOU ARE. ...^=\*@@#
@@*\=^.... ....^=\*@@
@*\=^..... .....^=\*@
*\=^...... ......^=\*
\=^....... .......^=\
=^........ ........^=
^......... .........^